


Understanding

by BashfulGnome



Series: 5 Years of Wrecking [1]
Category: Wreck-It Ralph (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-15 15:13:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16935609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BashfulGnome/pseuds/BashfulGnome
Summary: After the most eventful two days of his life, Ralph gets a visit from a new friend.





	Understanding

**Author's Note:**

> Original post date: Nov. 3, 2017
> 
> Original note: So here's a little something I wrote for 5 Years of Wrecking's Week 1: Felix and Ralph Week. It's set on the night after the events of the movie take place (but before the epilogue, obviously) and references Anniversary, a fic I wrote 3 years ago. I've always wanted to write this scene between Ralph and Felix, and I hope I did it justice. Enjoy!

Ralph settled into his old familiar brick pile, for once happy to be back. The exhilaration and terror of the past two days' adventure had worn him out; returning to a full day of work immediately afterwards didn't help. He rolled his arms backward, cupping an enormous hand atop its opposite shoulder, and then let his arms fall to his sides with a tired shrug. He set to work scraping together a bed, arranging his bricks with a clattering din, his mind drifting to ruminations on his sprightly new best friend, his brush with fiery death, the rich aroma of tomorrow's pies baking on the 8th floor…

"Ralph?"

He nearly stumbled backwards at the sudden sound, lost in thought as he was. Turning around, his eyes came to rest upon the small form of Felix, whose gaze was fixed on the ground in front of his shoes. He looked flustered; tired in a different way than Ralph felt, and he had a small cloth bag slung over one shoulder.

"Oh hi– hey Felix. Need somethin'?"

The handyman wrung his gloved hands together for a moment before removing his hat and making eye contact.

"Ralph, I…just wanted to apologize."

Ralph released the bricks he had been holding and let them drop onto the heap. "What for?"

"You know. I didn't do what I should've done these past thirty years. I oughtta come around and check on you now and again, see if you need anything, but I never did. That's on me, and I'm sorry."

Ralph stood silent, taken off-guard by the gesture. Though he'd envied him for decades, he hadn't held it against the handyman. Felix was just the Good Guy and got all the good stuff, and that's how Ralph thought it would always be.

"Oh! Uh…that's– thanks! But you don't– I mean it's not like you were, y'know, being an, uh…" Ralph mimed sipping a martini and adjusting an imaginary mustache with a 'harumph'.

Felix stared blankly for a moment, but his eyes widened upon understanding the reference. He shook his head.

"But I shouldn't've listened to them…or let them get me so jittery about it. I wanted to say something to help, but I was afraid of makin' them all miffed…afraid that maybe they were onto something…" He hung his head. "…So I convinced myself that you were doin' alright. That if you needed something, you'd come find me, just like they do."

Ralph chuckled nervously and put a hand behind his head. "W-well, I mean, I did some convincing myself. Coulda left the ol' brick pile and bugged you a bit instead of telling myself it was comfortable."

Felix straightened up again, a confused expression on his face. "How were you supposed to know I could help you if I was out having fun with the folks who were giving you a hard time?"

"Look, Felix, I–"

"There wasn't a single soul in Niceland who'd even give you the time of day!" His face flushed at his own tone of voice, and he placed a hand on his chest. "My name's on this game, right across the top with a backlight and everything.  _I_  failed you, Ralph. This is your home, too, and I'm as responsible for you as I am for the Nicelanders. I should've realized that a long time ago."

Another uncomfortable silence fell between them. Ralph wasn't sure how to respond to all of this. Sure, he was happy to get an apology, but it just felt…foreign to him. He didn't realize anyone had worried over him enough to feel this remorseful, especially someone with whom he didn't have any particular issues.

Felix put his hat back on, turning away slightly. "It's okay if you don't wanna talk to me. I'd just like you to know that things are gonna be different from here on out, I promise. A-and I brought you something. M'sorry it's not much, but there'll be more where this came from."

Felix reached into the bag at his side and pulled out an apple pie, still visibly steaming.

"It's the last one of the day—kept it in my oven so it's still hot 'n fresh. I had to make sure you got your first pie from me."

Ralph slowly reached out and accepted the dessert, inhaling deeply to savor the scent he'd never experienced up close. He couldn't believe it; after thirty years, a fresh pie, just for him. And it was an offering of sincere apology rather than pity. He rested a hand—or as much of it as he could—on Felix's back, letting up a bit when the handyman's legs buckled.

"Hey. Felix."

The smaller man looked up.

"Thanks. I mean, really,  _thank you_. I'm not… _mad_ at you, I just–" he gestured at Vanellope's medal around his neck and the pie in his hand "–this is all sorta new to me. Wasn't expecting it, y'know?"

"Oh, much obliged!" Felix smiled, his posture relaxing. "Why don't you come on over to the apartments tomorrow morning and have breakfast with us, then? It's far past time we all got to know you."

"You sure? I dunno if Gene's gonna do what Gene does."

"Gene won't do a thing; I just got done talking to him. I think we made some real progress!"

Ralph suddenly realized why Felix had looked so shaken earlier. "If I can get an apology outta him then I'm really going places."

An amused giggle escaped from Felix which caused Ralph to laugh in response, as the tension finally dissipated.

"If there's anything I can do to help, all you have to do is tell me and I'll be on it in a jiffy. Whatever I can do to make it up to you for all these years."

"Heh, well, you kinda put me on the spot here but I'll see what comes up." Ralph glanced back at the brick pile and scratched his head. "Maybe in the morning I'll think of something."

Felix patted Ralph's arm in parting. "Then I'll see you at breakfast. Enjoy that pie, brother."

"Can do!" He waved to his retreating friend. "You go get some rest, and dream about that lady who knocked my jaw off my face."

"Ralph!"

The wrecker doubled over with a chortle at Felix's flustered expression and immediate blush. "Heh, sorry, couldn't resist! 'Night, Felix."

The handyman shook his head and grinned. "'Night, Ralph."

And as Ralph tucked into some homemade pie for the first time, slowly lulled to a good night's sleep under the pixel stars that felt warmer than ever, he couldn't wait to see what tomorrow would bring.


End file.
